To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to locate missing records of asbestos treatment carried out in the 1990s at his Department's offices in Alnwick, Northumberland; where these records would normally have been kept; and if he will make a statement. (205913)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, now DEFRA, assumed responsibility for this site in 1992-93. It was transferred from the Property Services Agency (PSA) which now no longer exists. Anecdotal evidence implies that PSA commissioned asbestos removal works in 1988 but no records were handed over at the point of transfer to MAFF and no files were kept at that time on site.

For clarification no asbestos treatment work was undertaken during 1990s and therefore there are no records.

In 2004 DEFRA undertook Asbestos Type III surveys across the estate, and results from Alnwick revealed small particles of asbestos in the ceiling void. Air tests were immediately conducted and have continued since that time. Test result records have been maintained since 2004.